Switch-throwing device



May 22, 192s.

AG. MILLWARD SWITCH THRowING DEVICE' Filed Jan. 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 22, 1928.

IG. MlLLwARD SIWITCH THROWING DEVICE IFiled Jan. 2o, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet nesses m f 50 held in position by Patented May 22, 1928. l

UNITED STATES GEORGE MILLWABD, OF LEOKRONE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH-THROWING DEVICE.

Appucaaon ma January 2o, 192s. seran no. 248,165.

This invention relates to switch throwing devices, and more particularly to devices for throwing railway track switches, and has for its object the provision of a yieldable locking means for holding the switch in its thrown position, against accidental displacement.

Another ob'ect .is to provide a switch throwing mec anism in which the mechanism will be snapped over through approximately its last half of movement free of the operating lever, thereby facilitating the throwing of the switch. In the drawings-,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of va switch throwing device constructed in accordance with this invention.. v

Figure 2 is a side elevation, taken at right angles to the elevation of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates the trame as a whole, which comprises a base portion 2 and ka vertical or upright portion 3, and angularly dis osed brace members 4 extending from the ase 2 upwardly to a point inl termediate the top and bottom of the upright portion 3 to stien the frame.

A coverlate 5 is secured on the upright portion 3 of the frame A and a spindle 6 1s mounted in the cover-plate 5 and a bracket 7. v y

A bell-crank 8 is journaled on the spindle 6 between the plate and bracket 7 and the upper leg thereof is provided with a lug 9 which extends outwardly'through a curved ,slot 9a in the cover-plate 5. An operating lever 10 is journaled on the spindle 6 on the outside of the plate 5 and is provided with a curved slotf12 of materially greater length than the width ofthe lu 9. The lug 9 is adapted to lever 10 and to be retained in said a washer 13 andrpin 14. y

The upper leg of" the bellcrank 8 is pivotally connected as at 15 to the lower end of a. spring guide rod 16 which extends upwardly and has its upper j lend projected through an opening 17 in the frame A. spring seat 18 is mounted on the rod 16 and a nut 19. A coiled spring 20 isfmounted around the rod16 and has its Y lower end seated in the seat 18 and its upper end en' aged in a cap-member 21 which is ada te to engage the frame. y

en. the operatin lever 1 0 is moved about the spindle to t row the switch, the

slot by project throng ithe slot 12 in the lever will have free movement for a distance equal to the length of the slot 12 in excess of the width of the lug 9. Further movement of the lever 10 will cause the lug 9 to be enga ed by the end wall of the slot 12 and there y cause the bell-crank 8 to be rotated about the spindle 6. As the bellcrank 8 isrotated, the upper leg thereof will co-operate with the spring guide-rod 16 in the form of toggle levers and will compress the spring 20. After the upper leg of the bell-crank lever 8 and the rod 16 are moved beyond the dead center or vertical position, the compressed spring 2() will exert its stored energy to snap the bell-crank 8 and rod 16 over through the remainder of their travel free of the operating lever 10, due to the elongated' slot 12 in the lever 10, thus providing for a snap-throw of the switch elements and also preventing the jerking of the operating lever.

The lower leg of the bell-crank 8 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a link 25, which link has its lower end'pivotall connected to the upper leg of a second bel?I crank 26. The bell-crank 26 is 'ournaled on a'pivot pin 27 mounted in brac et plates 28 and hasits lower leg projecting downwardly below the base 2 of the frame. A reachrod 29 is pivotally connected to the lower leg of the bell-crank 26 'and serves as an operating connecting link betweenv the throw mechanism and the switch tongue or other switch element, (not shown), to be thrown.

The spring 2() not only serves to cause a snap-throw of the switch parts but also serves to yieldably hold or lock the switch element in its extreme positions.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment ot my invention it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim- 1.y A switch throwing mechanism comprismg an upright :trame portion, a spindle mounted in said frame portion, a bell-crank journaled on said spindle, an operating lever journaled on said spindle, a lug pro]ecting from one leg of said bell-crank and extending into a slot in said operating lever, the slot in said operating lever bein of greater length than the width of said ug so as to permit a limited free movement of said lug lli) , and its upper end relative to said operating lever, a spring guide-rod having its lower end plvotall connected to the upper leg of sald bell-cran projected through a guide opening 1n said frame, a spring seat secured on said -rod adjacent its lower end, a coiled spring mounted around said guide-rod and seated between said spring seat and said frame, said spring guide-rod, and the u per leg of said bell-crank being adapted to orm a toggle, which toggle is adapted to be moved from one extreme through its dead center by the operation of said operating lever so as to cause said lever to engage said lug on said bell-crank, and said spring being adapted to snap said toggle elements from their dead center position to their extreme position, and means connecting the lower leg of said bell-crank to a switch element.

2. A switch throwing mechanism com risi g an upright frame portion, a spindle mounted in said frame dportion, a belli-crank journaled on said spin le, an o eratmg lever jonrnaled on said spindle, a ug projecting from one leg of said bell-crank and extending into a slot in said operatmgdever, the slot in said operating lever being of greater length than the width of said lug so as to permit a limited free movement of said lug relative to said operating lever, a spring guide-rod having its lower end pivotally connected to the upper leg of said bell-crank and its upper end projected through a guide opening in said fra1ne, a spring seat secured on said rod adjacent lts lower end, a coiled spring mounted around said guide-rod and seated between said spring seat and said frame, said spring guide-rod and the upper leg of said bell-A crank being adapted to form a toggle, which toggle is adapted to be nloved from one extreme through its dead center by the operation of said operating lever so as to cause said lever to engage said lug on said bell-crank, and said spring being adapted to snap said toggle elements from their dead center position to their extreme position, and means connecting the lower leg of said bell-crank to a switch element, said means comprising a second bell-crank, a link connecting the lower leg of said first named bell-crank to the upper leg of said second named bell-crank, and a reach-rod connected to the lower leg of said second named bell crank.

3. A switch throwing mechanism com rising an upright frame portion, a spindle mounted in said frame portion, a bell-crank ,journaled on said spindle, an operating lever journaled on said spindle, a lug projecting from one leg of said bell-crank and extending into a slot in said operating lever, the slot in said operating lever being of greater length than the width of said lug so as to permit a' limited free movement of said lug relative to said operating leverggitmeans for limiting the movement of said bell-crank and lug, a spring guide-rod having its lower end pivotally-eolfnected to the upper leg of said bell-crank and its upper end projected through a guide opening in said frame, a spring seat secured on said rod adjacent its lower end, a coiled spring mounted around said guide-rod and seated between said spring seat and said frame, said spring guide-rod and the upper leg o1' said bellcrank being adapted to form a toggle, which toggle is adapted to be moved from one extreme through its dead center by the operation of said operating lever so as to cause said lever to engage said lug on said hellcrank, and said spring being adapted to snap said toggle elements from their dead cent/er position to their extreme position, and means connecting the lower leg of said bell-crank to a switch element, said means comprisin a second bell-crank, a link connecting t e lower leg of said first named bell-crank to the upper leg of said second named bellcrank, and a reach-rod connected to the lower leg of said second named bell-crank.

4. A switch throwing mechanism com rismg an upright frame portion, a spindle mounted in said frame portion, a bell-crank journaled on said spindle, an operating lever journaled on said spindle, a lost motion connection between one leg of said bell-crank and said operating lever so as to permit a limited free movement of said lug relative to said operating lever, a spring guide-rod having its lower end ivotally connected to the upper leg of said ell-crank and its upper end projected through a guide opening in said frame, a spring seat secured on said rod adjacent its lower end, a coiled sprin mounted around said guide-rod and seate between said spring seat and said frame, said spring guide-rod and the upper leg of said bell-crank being adapted to form a to gle, which toggle is adapted to be moved fgirom one extreme through its dead center by the operation of said operating lever so as to cause said lever to engage said lug on said bell-crank, and said spring being adapted to snap said toggle elements from their dead center position to `their extreme position, and means connectingthe lower leg of said bell` crank to a switch element.

l 5. A switch throwing mechanism comprismg an upright frame portion, a spindle mounted in said frame portion, a bell-crank journaled on said spindle, an operating lever journaled on said spindle, a lost motion con nection between one leg of said bell crank and said operating lever so as to permit a limited free movement of said lug relative to said operating lever, means for limiting the movement of said bell-crank and lug, a spring guide-rod having its lower end ivot ally connected to the upper leg of saidp bellcrank and its upper end projected through a. guide opening in said frame, a spring seat secured on said rod adjacent its lower end a coiled spring mounted aroundvsaid gui es i center by the operation of said operating lever so as to cause said lever to engage Said lug on said bell-crank, 'and said spring being adaptedkto snap said toggle elements from their dead center position to their extreme position, and means connecting the lower leg 15 of said bell-crank to a. switch element, said means comprisin a second bell-crank, a link connecting t 1e lower leg of said firstnamed bell-crank to the upper leg of said second named be1lcrank, and a reach-rod 20 connected to the lower leg of said second named bell-crank.

In testimony whereof, Iy have hereunto signed my name.

GEORGE MILLWARD. 

